NHL sources
have shared other details with Inside College Hockey that pertain
to college players, and that have been largely ignored or misinterpreted
by many other media outlets. Of note:

• While
NHL teams have a brief window to sign some 2003 draft picks before
those players return to the draft pool, this does not apply to
players still in college like Jeff Tambellini, Brian Boyle and
Matt Carle (for a full list click
here). As in the previous CBA, NHL teams will retain those
players' rights while they remain in school.

• The
2005 NHL Draft will be held July 30 in Ottawa, a one-day affair
that has been shortened from nine rounds to seven.

• All
undrafted 18-, 19- and 20-year olds are eligible for the draft
under the new CBA – 18-year-olds no longer have to opt-in
to the draft.

• The
so-called "Van Ryn Loophole" – which allowed Mike
Van Ryn to become a free agent by leaving Michigan for major juniors
– has been closed in the new CBA. Any NHL team that drafts
a college player will retain his rights until Aug. 15 of the year
his class graduates from college, even if he leaves school.